Cinderella is NOT an Illness
by 13dramaqueen13
Summary: When Hermione takes Ron to her parents' house to tell them some big news, he is extremely nervous.  But once alone he finds a very interesting book... and maybe a good name too.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of its wonderful characters, they all belong to J.K. Rowling.**

* * *

"Come on love, it will be fine! I don't know what you're so worried about."

Ron looked at his wife and into her bright brown eyes, eager with anticipation. He didn't want to disappoint her. He had been a Gryffindor, known for their courage, but he didn't feel very courageous now. His stomach was in knots, knots he knew weren't present in Hermione's barely swollen stomach. Ron's ears went red, and he mumbled something incomprehensible.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Hermione asked, a smile playing on her lips. Ron didn't answer, but his ears burned as red as his hair.

"Come on Ron," she said, lifting up his chin with her finger, "Who was it who destroyed a horcrux, and was a war hero throughout the battles against Voldemort?"

Ron looked up at her, feeling ashamed with himself. "But this is different," he mumbled.

"And how so?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows.

Ron mumbled something that sounded like, "bshumz Ihaztelurents Inodupderbebeurl."

"What did you say?"

Ron's ears burned even redder, but said, "Because I have to tell your parents that I knocked up their baby girl!"

Hermione didn't think Ron's ears could get any redder, and she feared they were verging on an alarming color of purple. Because of this, she tried to suppress her laughter, but it wasn't working very well.

"Oh Ron," she said, smiling despite herself, "They aren't going to think of it that way. We're giving them what they've always wanted; they're going to be grandparents!"

Ron looked up at her, his eyes earnest, "They really won't be mad at me?" he asked.

Hermione laughed. "Of course not! They'll be thrilled. Not everyone's like your brothers you know."

Ron smiled a little. "Poor Harry," he said, reminiscing.

"Yes," said Hermione, her eyes rolling up to the ceiling, "They can be quite vicious can't they?"

Ron grinned. "Thank Merlin you don't have any brothers."

Hermione smiled, and took his hand in hers. "You ready now?"

Ron nodded, taking a deep breath, "Yeah, I'm ready."

* * *

Ron really hadn't needed to worry so much. The second they walked in the door Hermione's mum had them both enveloped in a big hug.

Hermione laughed at her mum's enthusiasm, "Hello mum," she said grinning.

Mrs. Granger smiled and moved over to asses her son-in-law, giving Mr. Granger room to welcome his daughter.

"Welcome, welcome," she said, ushering them into the living room. Ron thought that she really wasn't that different from his own mum. "Let me get you some tea."

She rushed into the kitchen and Mr. Granger made small talk with the couple until his wife came back. Hermione squeezed Ron's hand as her mum reentered the room, pouring everyone their tea. Despite himself his knots came back. Did it have to be so soon?

"Mum, Dad," Hermione said, leaning forward and pulling Ron with her, "We have something to tell you."

Hermione's parents looked at them expectantly, and Hermione gave a wide smile. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh!" her mother said, jumping up and rushing over to her daughter, attacking her with questions. "How much? How long have you known? When is it due? Do you know if it will be a boy or a girl?"

Hermione laughed before answering, "Only about a month; a few days ago; I don't know yet; and we want it to be a surprise."

"Oh!" Hermione's mum said again, before enveloping her daughter into a hug. "I'm going to be a grandma!"

Hermione grinned, and shot Ron a look over her shoulder mouthing, "I told you so."

Ron's ears went red. Of course. Hermione was always right. He really should stop doubting her.

Mrs. Granger grabbed her daughter's hand, pulling her up the stairs. "Oh, I have to show you all my old baby stuff!"

Hermione laughed, "Mum, I still have eight more months!"

Mrs. Granger apparently didn't hear, and Hermione obligingly went upstairs, still smiling widely, leaving Ron alone with her dad.

Mr. Granger grinned at Ron, "Women."

Ron laughed in agreement, but the nerves all came rushing back. What would he do now that he was alone with his wife's father? What would Mr. Granger do?

Mr. Granger tried to make small talk with Ron, about what football teams he liked; but that topic was immediately shot down by Ron's response ("What's football? Oh wait! Isn't it that weird muggle sport where they kick a ball around? Personally, I think Quidditch is much more entertaining.")

Mr. Granger frowned, trying to come up with a topic that would interest his son in law. It was difficult, considering Ron had never had a television, computer, muggle books, or liked muggle sports. And unfortunately, Mr. Granger was completely befuddled by the whole concept of Quidditch. Luckily he was saved by the telephone ringing.

"Excuse me," he said, getting up to answer what turned out to be a very lengthy business conversation. Really, how much could you talk about teeth? But Ron didn't mind. He was glad for the excuse to end the awkward conversation. He felt bad about not being able to converse well with his in-laws, but it wasn't his fault that he had grown up in the wizarding world, while Hermione's parents were muggles.

After a while, Ron grew bored sitting on the sofa, and climbed the stairs to explore a bit. He was going to go to find Hermione, but something distracted him. It was a door to a room, slightly ajar, but one that looked like it hadn't been opened in a while. He cautiously entered it, and looked inside.

The room was a bedroom, with a neatly made twin bed in one corner, and loads of books in the vast bookcase along the left wall. There was a window at the far end of the room, with cheerful yellow curtains framing it. Ron took a cautious step forward, and then moved to look around. The books had titles he did not know, though, a couple of them sparked some memory.

He sat down and studied them for a moment, trying to bring back the memory. One caught his eye. It was rather thick, and when he opened it up to the table of contents a few names sparked his memory. _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs._ _Cinderella_. Suddenly, a conversation from several years ago came back to him.

"_We heard 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' and 'Cinderella—'"_

"_What's that, and illness?"_

Ron grinned, remembering; this must be Hermione's old room. He got up, taking it all in. This was where she had grown up, before she had even known about witches and wizards and Hogwarts. It was strange to think about, but he was glad to explore this part of his wife's past, before he had even known her.

* * *

Hours later Hermione came downstairs; her head so full of baby stories and advice that she thought it was going to burst. She expected to find Ron still in the living room, but when she arrived there, he was not. She pursed her lips before climbing back up the stairs again; she had thought her old bedroom door was opened a bit more than when she had gone up.

She found her husband sitting on the floor, pouring over a book. The sight took her by so much surprise that she let out an unexpected giggle. Ron's head snapped around.

"What are you reading?" Hermione asked, sitting down next to him on the familiar rug. She had spent countless hours sitting in that very spot as little girl, just reading.

Ron's ears went pink, and he showed her the cover of the book. It was a book of fairy tales. Hermione grinned.

"They're actually quite good," Ron said, his ears growing redder. Hermione smiled and peered over his shoulder at the opened page.

"Didn't you think Cinderella was an illness?"

Ron laughed, "Something like that."

"Well, I'm glad you've discovered that muggles have some pretty good stuff too."

Ron nodded, and turned his attention back to the book, "Do you think your parents would let me borrow it?"

Hermione laughed, "Of course they would. It's my book anyways. And, I think it would be lovely to be able to read our child muggle fairy tales as well as wizarding ones."

Ron grinned up at her, "So that they don't mistake them for illnesses, like me?"

Hermione laughed and shook her head, planting a kiss on her husband's lips. They sat in silence for a few moments, Ron the one reading for once.

"So," he said after a bit, looking up. "What do you think of the name 'Cinderella'?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Really Ron? Do you want our child to be mistaken for an illness?"

Ron laughed, his ears going slightly pink. Hermione was getting used to the sight now.

"What else did you read?" she asked him.

"Just _Cinderella_ so far," he said, "But there are loads more I want to read in here too, like _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs._"

A smile played on Hermione's lips, "You know, the original Snow White was called 'Rose Red.'"


End file.
